In the prior art, non-differentiated signals are taken from read head circuitry of a magnetic recording system to be reformed for use with a data handling device. The prior art systems operate to generate signals, whose rising or falling edges occur at the peaks of the non-differentiated pulse signals because the peaks of the non-differentiated signals most clearly define intended signals from noise signals. Heretofore, such non-differentiated signals were differentiated and the zero crossovers of the differentiated signals were detected to determine the time that the peak of the non-differentiated signals occurred. The problem with such systems is that, if the code employed has a relatively large k factor, i.e. a relatively large number of allowable encoded ZEROS between encoded ONES, then the output signal approaches the zero voltage value for a long period of time. If during this train of encoded ZEROS, noise occurs and/or perturbations occur on the zero voltage signal from the noise, then these perturbations could appear as intended signals because they would experience zero crossovers. The present arrangement eliminates the possibility of mistaking noise perturbations as intended signals.